Loom picker and method of forming same

ABSTRACT

A picker adapted to be positioned on the picker stick of a conventional loom and there serve to engage the nose of the shuttle as it traverses the loom. The picker comprises a plurality of wraps overlying a solid core portion and a hollow collar portion, and is formed by a molding operation which involves a minimum number of mechanical operations and does not waste any of the raw material.

United States Patent 1,904,316 4/1933' Kunman......................I2,161,662

[72] Inventor John J. Brown 5098 Mahoning Ave., Warren, Ohio 444836/1939 Bacon [21] Appl. No. 880,710

2,341,904 2/1944 Clark..............:::::...::::.: 2,353,454 4 2,369,6362/1945 7/1944 Gillet et a1.

[22] Filed Nov.28, 1969 [45] Patented Sept.28, 1971 FOREIGN PATENTS480,747 [54] LOOM PICKER AND METHOD OF FORMING Pnmary Examiner-James KeeCh] SAME 9 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs. Attorney-Parrott, Bell, Seltzer, Park& Gibson pted to be positioned on the picker om and there serve toengage the averses the loom. The picker comps overlying a solid coreportion and a and is formed b 30-! dlt ail nu m i mn mm T m R T Ske 5mmAmn 96 0 9 5% M W 1 0 D [51] lnt.Cl............... [50] y a moldingoperation mechanical o prises a plurality of wra h ollow collar portion,

[ 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1922 Bacon perationswhich involves a minimum number of and does not waste any of the rawmaterial.

PATENTEU SEP28 I9?! P'mosa ART INVENTOR. JOHN I BROWN r52. BY @4-ATTORNEYS LOOM PICKER AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME The present inventionrelates to a loom picker of the type adapted to be mounted on a pickerstick of a loom. In use, the picker engages the nose of the shuttle andserves as the contacting means for receiving the shuttle andsubsequently throwing it back across the loom.

Loom pickers of known design are fabricated by a process which is undulylaborious, is wasteful of the raw material, and therefore expensive. Inaddition, the resulting picker is unnecessarily heavy and thus itrequires undue power from the loom to overcome its inertia duringtranslation of the picker stick.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a methodof fabricating a loom picker in which a minimum number of mechanicaloperations are required, and wherein none of the raw material is wasted.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a loom pickerwhich is light in weight and yet is sufficiently strong and durable towithstand the impacts with the shuttle over a long period of use.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objectswill appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a perspective viewillustrating a step in the method of manufacturing a prior art loompicker;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a subsequent step in themanufacture of a prior art loom picker and illustrating the picker blankprior to the molding operation, as well as the waste material;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a finished prior art picker fabricatedby the method illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the picker of FIG. 3 together withthe outline of the picker blank;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a step in the method of manufacturingthe picker of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the picker blank of the presentinvention prior to the molding operation;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the finished picker of the presentinvention;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the picker of the present inventiontogether with the outline of the picker blank; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the mold utilized in the presentinvention.

Referring to the drawings, the previously employed method of fabricatinga loom picker is illustrated in FIGS. 14. In particular, a wide (e.g. 60inches) sheet of vulcanizable fabric material is wrapped a number oftimes about a suitable form (not shown) to form an elongated tubularcollar member 10. A solid core member 12 is fabricated by assembling aplurality of layers of a similar vulcanizable fabric material to providea solid elongated member having outer dimensions which generallycorrespond to those of the collar member 10. Next, the collar member 10and core 12 are positioned adjacent to each other in parallelside-by-side relation and then wrapped with a plurality of layers 14 ofa similar vulcanizable fabric material.

The fabric material employed in the various components of the aboveproduct are generally similar and preferably comprise an impregnatedwoven fabric material. Typically, the fabric material is a nylon-cottonblend with the percentage of nylon being somewhat higher in the corethan in the collar or outer wrap. For example, the core may comprise a75 percent nylon, 25 percent cotton blend while the collar and wrap maycomprise a 25 percent nylon, 75 percent cotton blend. To obtain maximumstructural strength, the wrapping I4 is preferably applied with the warpthreads of the woven material lying perpendicular to the longitudinalaxis of both the collar 10 and core 12. The fabric material isimpregnated or coated with any suitable rubber or rubberlike materialwhich is capable of vulcanizing under heat and pressure and setting intoa hard, resilient structure. The specific composition of various rubbermaterials of this type are well known to those skilled in the art andthus are not set forth in detail herein.

To form an intermediate picker blank 15, the product illustrated in FIG.I is cut along a plurality of spaced parallel lines 16 which aresubstantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of both the collar10 and core 12. Next, the resulting product is cut a second time along aline 18 which is inclined at an acute angle with respect to the lines16, thereby producing a waste portion 20 which is discarded. Thedesirability of having an inclined bottom surface on the picker blank 15and finished picker results from the fact that it is preferable to havethe shuttle engaging portion of the picker as low down on the pickerstick as possible. The manner in which this is accomplished will becomeapparent as the description proceeds.

The picker blank 15 is next placed in a suitable mold (not shown)wherein it is deformed under conditions of heat and pressure tovulcanize the rubber contained in the fabric material, and to compressand set the blank into a relatively hard, resilient, unitary finishedpicker 22 illustrated in FIG. 3. More particularly, the moldingoperation is designed to form a finished picker 22 having parallel frontand rear end faces 24 and 25 respectively, parallel sides 26 and 27, aplanar top surface 28, and an inclined planar bottom surface 29. Inaddition, the molding operation forms a conical opening 30 in the frontend face 24 for receiving the nose of a loom shuttle, and asubstantially rectilinear aperture 31 extending from the bottom surface29 to the top surface 28 for admitting a loom picker stick. FIG. 4illustrates the manner and degree of compression which the blank 15undergoes during the molding operation.

In the method of the present invention, an elongated tubular collar 40,an elongated solid core 42, and a wrapping 44 are assembled from thematerials substantially as described above. However, this assembly isout only at spaced increments along the parallel lines 46 to form thepicker mold blank 50. No other cutting operations are required. As inthe previous embodiment, the lines 46 are preferably perpendicular tothe axis of both the collar 40 and core 42. It will also be noted thatthe transverse height A of the blank 50 is somewhat less than the heightB of blank 15 and thus the blank 50 will necessarily be lighter.

The blank 50 is positioned in the mold 51 schematically illustrated inFIG. 9 wherein the blank is deformed under conditions of heat andpressure to form the relatively hard, resilient, unitary finished picker52 illustrated in FIG. 7. The picker 52 includes parallel front and rearend faces 53, 54 respectively, parallel sides 55, 56 a planar bottomsurface 57, and a top surface which comprises a forward portion 58 andrear portion 59 which are angularly disposed with respect to each other.As best seen in FIG. 8, the bottom surface is disposed at an acute angleC (about 81 in the illustrated embodiment) with respect to the front endface 53, the top surface forward portion 58 is substantially parallel tothe bottom surface 57, and the top surface rear portion 59 issubstantially at right angles or perpendicular to the rear end face 54.Also, it will be observed that the forward portion and rear portion ofthe top surface each comprises substantially one-half of the total topsurface.

In addition to shaping the picker in the manner above, the moldingoperation forms a conical indentation 60 in the front end face 53 forreceiving the nose of a loom shuttle, and shapes the opening through thecollar section 40 to form a substantially rectilinear aperture 61extending from the bottom surface 57 to the top surface rear portion 59.It will be observed from FIGS. 7 and 8 that the forward edge surface 62of the aperture 61 intersects the top surface along a line whichsubstantially corresponds to the intersection of the forward portion 58and rear portion 59. It will also be apparent from FIG. 8 that the endfaces and sides of the finished picker 52 are formed from the wrapping44 and thus comprise a continuous laminated woven fabric material. Themolding operation does not, in any significant degree, disturb thegeneral alignment of the warp threads in the woven material, and thusthe warp threads thereof lie generally parallel to the bottom surfaceand top surface forward portion of the finished picker. Further, sincethe blank 50 was formed without any angular cutting operation, thenumber of warp threads in the laminated woven fabric material of thefinished picker will be substantially constant along the ends and sides.

The mold 51, which is schematically illustrated in FIG. 9, will be seento include a solid block having a cavity shaped to receive two blanks 50and deform them into the desired final configuration. In particular, thecavity includes opposed sidewalls 64 for shaping the top surface of thepicker, a bottom wall 65 including a pair of conical protuberances 66for forming the front end face 53 and indentation 60, and a second pairof sidewalls (not shown) for forming the sides 55 and 56 of the picker.A T-shaped core 68 is adapted to extend into the central portion of themold cavity and includes a pair of oppositely directed arms 69 forshaping the aperture 6], and opposed edges 70 for forming the bottomsurface 57. The mold also includes a removable cover 72 for admittingthe two blanks and core into the cavity, and an aperture 74 in thebottom wall 65 to facilitate removal of the core after the moldingoperation. Suitable means of conventional design for applying pressureand heat to the mold are also provided but are not illustrated.

From the above description, it will be apparent that the picker 52 ofthe present invention may be positioned on a picker stick in a mannerwherein the conical indentation 60 is disposed in a substantiallyidentical relationship with respect to the picker stick as would a priorart picker 22. Thus the picker of the present invention may be usedinterchangeably in looms designed for the prior art picker. However, itwill be seen that the picker 52 is substantially lighter in weight thanthe picker 22, and that this has been accomplished without sacrifice ofdurability or strength since the effectively removed material is fromthe top surface forward portion of the picker which makes littlecontribution to the overall strength of the device. In addition, themethod of forming the picker 52 is much more efficient than the priorart method since the second cutting operation is eliminated and there isno waste of the raw material.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferredembodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not forpurposes of limitation.

lClaim:

l. A loom picker comprising a relatively hard, resilient, unitarystructure having parallel front and rear end faces, parallel sides, aplanar bottom surface disposed at an acute angle with respect to thefront end face, and a top surface having a forward portion and a rearportion angularly disposed with respect to the forward portion, saidforward portion comprising substantially one-half of the top surface andbeing disposed substantially parallel to the bottom surface, said rearportion being substantially perpendicular to the rear end face,

an aperture extending through said picker from said bottom surface tosaid top surface rear portion for admitting a loom picker stick, and

a conical indentation extending into said front end face for receivingthe nose of a loom shuttle.

2. The loom picker as defined in claim 1 wherein said end faces andsides comprise a continuous laminated woven fabric material disposedwith the warp threads thereof aligned generally parallel to said bottomsurface and top surface forward portion.

3. The loom picker as defined in claim 2 wherein said aperture includesa forward edge surface which intersects the top surface along a linewhich substantially corresponds to the intersection of said forwardportion and rear portion.

4. A loom picker comprising a relatively hard, resilient, unitarystructure having parallel front and rear end faces, parallel sides, aplanar bottom surface disposed at an acute angle with respect to thefront end face, and a top surface having a forward portion and a rearportion angularly disposed with respect to the forward portion, saidforward portion being substantially parallel to the bottom surface andsaid rear portion being substantially perpendicular to the rear endface, the end faces and sides comprising a continuous laminated wovenfabric material disposed with the warp threads thereof lying generallyparallel to said bottom surface and top surface forward portion,

an aperture extending through said picker from said bottom surface tosaid top surface rear portion for admitting a loom picker stick, and

a conical indentation extending into said front end face for receivingthe nose of a loom shuttle.

5. The loom picker as defined in claim 4 wherein the number of warpthreads in said fabric material is substantially constant throughout thelength of the material.

6. The loom picker as defined in claim 5 wherein the angular relation ofsaid bottom surface to said front end face is about 8l.

7. A method for producing a loom picker adapted for use on a pickerstick in a loom comprising the steps of,

forming an elongated tubular collar section of vulcanizable material,

positioning an elongated core of laminated vulcanizable materialadjacent one side of said collar section,

wrapping the collar section and adjacent core with a plurality of layersof a vulcanizable fabric material,

cutting the assembled collar section, core, and wrapping at spacedincrements along parallel lines which are substantially perpendicular tothe axis of the collar section and the core to form a substantiallyrectilinear individual blank having a substantially solid front portionand hollow rear portion with the wrapping extending about the front andrear ends and two sides, and

deforming the entire resulting blank under conditions of heat andpressure to vulcanize the materials into a hard unitary structure havingparallel front and rear end faces, parallel sides, a planar bottomsurface disposed at an acute angle with respect to the front end face, atop surface forward portion substantially parallel to the bottomsurface, and a top surface rear portion substantially perpendicular tothe rear end face.

14. The method as defined in claim 7 wherein deforming the resultingblank further includes forming a conical indentation in said front endface for receiving the nose of a loom shuttle, and shaping the hollowrear portion to form a substantially rectilinear aperture extending fromsaid bottom surface to said top surface rear portion.

9. The method as defined in claim 8 wherein the fabric materialcomprises a woven fabric, and wrapping the collar section and adjacentcore includes positioning the warp threads of the woven fabric along aline substantially perpendicular to the axis of the collar section andcore.

1. A loom picker comprising a relatively hard, resilient, unitarystructure having parallel front and rear end faces, parallel sideS, aplanar bottom surface disposed at an acute angle with respect to thefront end face, and a top surface having a forward portion and a rearportion angularly disposed with respect to the forward portion, saidforward portion comprising substantially one-half of the top surface andbeing disposed substantially parallel to the bottom surface, said rearportion being substantially perpendicular to the rear end face, anaperture extending through said picker from said bottom surface to saidtop surface rear portion for admitting a loom picker stick, and aconical indentation extending into said front end face for receiving thenose of a loom shuttle.
 2. The loom picker as defined in claim 1 whereinsaid end faces and sides comprise a continuous laminated woven fabricmaterial disposed with the warp threads thereof aligned generallyparallel to said bottom surface and top surface forward portion.
 3. Theloom picker as defined in claim 2 wherein said aperture includes aforward edge surface which intersects the top surface along a line whichsubstantially corresponds to the intersection of said forward portionand rear portion.
 4. A loom picker comprising a relatively hard,resilient, unitary structure having parallel front and rear end faces,parallel sides, a planar bottom surface disposed at an acute angle withrespect to the front end face, and a top surface having a forwardportion and a rear portion angularly disposed with respect to theforward portion, said forward portion being substantially parallel tothe bottom surface and said rear portion being substantiallyperpendicular to the rear end face, the end faces and sides comprising acontinuous laminated woven fabric material disposed with the warpthreads thereof lying generally parallel to said bottom surface and topsurface forward portion, an aperture extending through said picker fromsaid bottom surface to said top surface rear portion for admitting aloom picker stick, and a conical indentation extending into said frontend face for receiving the nose of a loom shuttle.
 5. The loom picker asdefined in claim 4 wherein the number of warp threads in said fabricmaterial is substantially constant throughout the length of thematerial.
 6. The loom picker as defined in claim 5 wherein the angularrelation of said bottom surface to said front end face is about 81*. 7.A method for producing a loom picker adapted for use on a picker stickin a loom comprising the steps of, forming an elongated tubular collarsection of vulcanizable material, positioning an elongated core oflaminated vulcanizable material adjacent one side of said collarsection, wrapping the collar section and adjacent core with a pluralityof layers of a vulcanizable fabric material, cutting the assembledcollar section, core, and wrapping at spaced increments along parallellines which are substantially perpendicular to the axis of the collarsection and the core to form a substantially rectilinear individualblank having a substantially solid front portion and hollow rear portionwith the wrapping extending about the front and rear ends and two sides,and deforming the entire resulting blank under conditions of heat andpressure to vulcanize the materials into a hard unitary structure havingparallel front and rear end faces, parallel sides, a planar bottomsurface disposed at an acute angle with respect to the front end face, atop surface forward portion substantially parallel to the bottomsurface, and a top surface rear portion substantially perpendicular tothe rear end face.
 8. The method as defined in claim 7 wherein deformingthe resulting blank further includes forming a conical indentation insaid front end face for receiving the nose of a loom shuttle, andshaping the hollow rear portion to form a substantially rectilinearaperture extending from said bottom surface to said top surface rearportion.
 9. The method as defined in claim 8 wherein the fabriC materialcomprises a woven fabric, and wrapping the collar section and adjacentcore includes positioning the warp threads of the woven fabric along aline substantially perpendicular to the axis of the collar section andcore.